Tank or vessel for electrolytic apparatus and other purposes



May 29, 1923.

R. D. MERSHON TANK OR VESSEL FOR ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS AND OTHERPURPOSES Filed Jan. 8, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l [72 yem ar 5 f zf i W MMMay 29, 1923. 1,456,901

RD.MERSHON A TANK OR VESSEL FOR ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS AND OTHERPURPOSES Filed Jan. 8, 1920 2 Shets-Sheet 9 ZF E I i E 576 g2; g2;

Inn /22W Patented May 29, 1923.

RALPH D. MERSHON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TANK OR VESSEL FOR ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS AND OTHER PURPOSES.

Application filed January 8, 1920. Serial No. 850,184.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH D. MERSHON, being a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York, county and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful In'iprovements in Tanks or Vessels forElectrolytic Apparatus and Other Purposes, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

In the course of an extended experience in the construction andoperation of electrolytic apparatus, particularly condensers andrectifiers, I have discovered that it is highly advantageous, from thestandpoint of durability and efiiciency, to guard the electrolyteagainst contamination. This is easily accomplished when the tank orvessel is closed air-tight, but under some conditions it is desirable ornecessary for it to have communication with the outside. I havetherefore been led to devise my resent invention, which has for itschief 0 ject to provide simple and convenient means for permitting thevessel to breathe, that is, to allow the inflow and outflow of air orvapor without, however, permitting solid impurities or soluble gasimpurities to enter. To this-and other ends the invention consists inthe novel features and combinations hereinafter described.

Convenient and effective embodiments of the invention are illustrateddiagrammatically in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is across-section of one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of a modification of the scheme shown in Fig.1.

Figs. 3, t and 5 are sectional views illustrating other forms of theinvention.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a form by which a more or lessconstant pressure in excess of atmospheric can be maintained in thetank.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate modifications of the scheme shown in Fig. 6.

Referring first to Fig. 1, 10 designates the top or cover of a tankcontaining the electrolyte and electrodes of an electrolytic condenser.At the left of the figure is shown a relief valve for the escape of gasor vapor, comprising a closed vessel 12 containing a liquid 13 intowhich the outlet orifice of the siphon-shaped escape or outlet pipe 14is immersed, the intake end of the pipe being open to the interior ofthe tank containing the electrolyte. The coiled form of the pipe is toprovide ample cooling surface for the condensation of vapors, so thatmore or less of any vapors condensed therein will run back into thetank. If the pressure inside the tank rises above atmospheric plus thehead a (the length of the submerged portion of the pipe 14.) the excessgas or vapor will escape through pipe 15, which also serves to preventrise of the liquid 13 above a certain height by accumulation of liquiddue to condensation of vapor. To ermit inflow of air when the pressurefalls in the tank, a device such as is shown at the right of Fig. 1 maybe provided. This comprises a vessel 17 containing a liquid 18 intowhich an inlet-pipe 19 dips, an outlet pipe 20 extending from above theliquid into the tank below the cover 10, and a pi e 21 having its longerleg extendin into t e liquid. The inlet pipe 19 is provlded with astrainer 22, which may be composed of fibrous or other suitable materialthrough which the in-going air must pass, thus straining out dust andsuch other impurities as may be removed in this manner. Inside thevessel is a strainer for the lower end of pipe 19, which may take theform of a sheet of foraminous material such as wire gauze 23, to breakup the bubbles of air and thus cause them to be more thoroughl washed intheir passage through the li ui The latter may have a substance dissoved in it to assist in purifying the air, such asa suitable alkali ifthe air is likely to carry acids, or an acid in the contrary case. Ifvessel 17 contains water or other liquid giving oil water vapor, theloss by evaporation will be made up by condensation of vapors enteringfrom the tank. If in the course of time the liquid in the vessel shouldby such condensation rise to the level of the bend in the escape pipe21, indicated by the dotted line b, liquid will be dischar ed throughthis pipe until the surface alls to the level at which it is shown, thatis, to the level of the outlet orifice of the pipe. If when this occursit should happen that at the same time the pressure inside the tank isbeing relieved, say through the device 11, then the liquid in vessel 17will fall below the level of the discharge end of pipe 21 by an amountequal to the distance a of device 11. Hence the distance 0 of device 16must be greater than a. Also, the head d of device 11 must be greaterthan e (of device 16) plus the equivalent head necessary to drive theair through the strainer 22; and fmust be greater than 0 plus suchequivalent head.

In Fig. 2 the devices 11 and 16 of Fig. 1 are combined and simplified inone. The latter comprises two non-communicating vessels 25, 26,containing liquids 27, 28. The pipe 29 leading from the tank below thecover 30 has a condensing coil and also has depending branches 31, 32,one extending into the liquid 27 and the other extending into vessel 26but terminating above the liquid 28. Excess pressure in the tank isrelieved by escape of air or vapor through branch 31 and outlet 33, anda partial vacuum in the tank is relieved by air entering vessel 26through pipe 34 which has its lower end submerged to a greater depththan the branch pipe 31. Pipe 34 will permit escape of liquid fromvessel 26 in the same way as the pipe 21 in device 16. Hence if an airstrainer is used with pipe 34, as indicated at 35, the material thereinshould be of such character as will not be injured by being wetted.

The device shown in Fig. 3 is similar to that of Fig. 2, but has anexpansible and collapsible receiver or chamber, for example a flexiblerubber bag 36 in the pressureoutlet pipe 37. If the capacity of thereceiver be great enough it will of itself take care of pressurevariations in'the tank, as will be readily understood, but if theequalizing capacity or the receiver be exceeded, air will flow into thetank through vessel 38 or air or vapor will flow out of the tank throughvessel 39, as the case may be. Fig. 4 is another modification, in whichthe expansible and collapsible equalizer is replaced by aliquid-displacement receiver in the form of a bell-glass 40.

Tu the modification shown in Fig. 5, the tank 41, containing theelectrolyte or other liquid, constitutes the equalizer. lit the pressurein the tank rises, liquid is forced into the auxiliary vessel 42, whichis open to the atmosphere through the vent 43, and as the pressure fallsin the tank liquid is returned thereto. The pipe 44, by which the twovessels communicate, may be above the bottom of vessel 42 so thatsediment collected in the latter will not be carried into the other. Theliquid in vessel 42 may be protected by a film of oil, as 44. If thepressure in tank 41 becomes sutlicient to raise the liquid in vessel 42a distance equal to the extent of submergence of pipe 45 in the liquidin vessel 46, the ressure will be relieved by escape throng this pipe,as will be readily understood.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 6, desi nates the main tank, forexample the tank 0% an electrolytic condenser consisting of electrodes51 and an electrolyte 52. The

mea er tank has a close-fitting cover. Internal pressure is relievedthrough condensing pipe 54 and vessel 55, as in device 11 of Fig. 1. A.device 56 is also provided, similar to device 16, to relieve a partialvacuum in the tank, but in the present case this device is intended tooperate only in emergency, since means are provided to maintain insidethe tank a working pressure equal to or greater than the pressureoutside. For this purpose a suitable compressor 57 is provided, fortaking air through a strainer 58 and delivering it under pressurethrough strainer 59 to a device 60 (similar to device 16 of Fig. 1) andthence to an air tank or reservoir 61. The compressor may be driven by amotor, as 57 having terminals 57 and any well known means can beprovided to maintain a substantially constant pressure in the air tank,and, if desired, a more or less constant fiowof air or other gastherethrough, as for eii'ample suitable electro-hydrostatic meansincluding a balanced valve 62 in the pipe 63, between the tanks 53 and61, controlling the admission of air to the former and operated in thesolenoid 64. In the solenoid circuit is a resistance 65, from which aplurality of taps 65", for exam le three, are brought out to a tube 66extending downwardly into the liquid in vessel 55. These taps terminateat different depths in the tube, as indicated. As the pressure inside oftank 50 decreases, the liquid rises in tube 66, and eventually reaches,say, the lowest tap, whereupon the circuit or the solenoid is closed(through all the resistance 65) and the valve 62 is thereby openedslightly, admitting air from the air-accumulating tank 61 to tank 50. Ifthe ressure in the latter continues to fall, the iquid may rise in tube66 until the next lower tap (in the present instance "the middle tap) isreached. thereby cutting out part of the resistance and opening thevalve farther. Or the liquid may reach the highest tap, thereby openingthe valve to the fullest extent. As the pressure in tank 50 rises abovethe predetermined value the reverse operation takes place, as will bereadily understood. lit will therefore be seen that a pressure constantwithin certain limits is maintained in the tank 50, the limits ofdeparture from constancy depending upon the number and spacing of thetaps or contacts leading from the controlling resistance 65, and thevalue of the maintained pressure depending upon the osition of thelowest contact and on the depth of submergence of pipe 67. If the lowestcontact is close to the bottom of the tube the pressure maintained willbe considerably higher than that outside, and with the contact arrangedat the height at which the liquid in vessel 55 would stand it the lattervessel and the tank 50 were in free communication with the atmosphere,with the pipe 67 only slightly submerged, the pressure in the tank willbe kept about equal to or slightly greater than atmospheric. If thepressure in the tank falls so low (as by reason of a failure of thevalve 62 to open) that the negative ressure or partial vacuum thereinexceeds t e head due to the submergence of pipe 68- in the liquid invesel 56, air will enterthrough this pipe. To guard against admission ofimpurities in that way, the pipe 69 may be provided with a strainer 70.

If the compressor is of the rotary type the tank 61 can be omitted andvalve 62 connected directly to the wash bottle 60,

in which case the valve simply throttles the supply of air from .thecompressor. If desired, the valve may also be omitted, thesolenoid'being then used to control the speed of the motor driving thecompressor. Thus in Fig. 8, as the core of thesole-noid is drawnin, moreand more resistance is cut out of the motor circuit, thereby increasingthe speed of the motor. As the core is Withdrawn (by spring 71)resistance is cut in, thereby decreasing the motor speed, and if thecore is withdrawn far enough the switch arm 72 will be carried off thelast contact, thereby stopping the motor.

If desired, the gas admitted to the working tank may be one which willnot support combustion, for example carbo'n dioxid, as may be desirablein the case of anapparatus in which the contents of the tank give offcombustible gas or vapor for instance in the case of a largeelectrolytic condenser,

since the electrolyte in such a condenser is continually beingdecomposed, liberating hydrogen and oxygen in explosive proportions. Itmay also be desirable, no matter what gas is admitted to the tank, tomaintain in the latter a pressure high enough to insure a continuedescape of gas from its interior, so that explosive or combustible gasesare continually swept out. a

The tank or reservoir 61, wash-bottle 60, compressor 57, etc., can bereplaced'by a bottle containing clean compressed air or other gas, or asolution of gas under pressure in water, or a li uid gas, as carbondioxid. In using liquid 0 a comparatively small bottle will contain alarge amount of the gas, and if kept slowly escaping more or lessconstantly, through the main or working tank (as 50) the latter will bekept clear.

of combustible or explosive gases, or at any rate they will be sodiluted as toeliminate danger of ex losion. Thus in Fig. 7 which shows aportion of the.;apparatus illustrated in Fig. 6, the reservoir orcylinder 73 containing compressed or liquid carbonic acid gas isconnected to the valve 62 in lieu of tank 61, compressor 57. etc.' Whencompressed gases are used it may be desirable to heat them duringexpansion, as by heating theeontainer. This can be done by means of anelectric heater, controlled by the solenoid in a manner similar to themotor control shown in Fig. 8. Or, if the working of the apparatus inthe main tank (50) is accompanied by liberation of sufiicient heat, thegas container can be placed in heat-conduct ing contact with the tank,as in Fig. 7, or otherwise associated therewith, so as to be heated bythe tank or its contents.

The liquids used in the various vessels 12, 17, 25, 26, 38,- etc,through which air or other gas enters or leaves the tank, may be of anysuitable kind, as for example oil, water or mercury. Of course theliquid in vessel 55, Fig. 6, must be electrically conducting.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificconstruction here illustrated and described herein, but can be embodiedin other forms without departure from its spirit. Moreover the inventionis not limited to electrolytic 'appartially filled with liquid andhaving a,

gas-space in communication with the interior of said tank, agas-inlet'tube opening outside of the chamber and terminating below thesurface of the liquid therein, a second chamber partially filled withliquid and having a gas-space communicatingwith the atmosphere,.and atube open at one end to the interior of said vessel and having anotherend immersed in the liquid in the second chamber.

2. A closed tank or vessel, a closed chamber containing liquid andhaving a gasspace, a tube connecting said gas-space with the interior ofthe tank or vessel, a gas-inlet tube leading into the chamber andopening below the surface of the liquid therein, a second chamber opento the atmosphere and containing a liquid, and a tube communicating atone end with the interior of the tank or vessel and having another endopen below the surface of the liquid in the second chamber. L

3. In an electrolytic apparatus, a closed tank or vessel having a gasoutlet and containing electrodes and an electrolyte, means for supplyinggas under pressure to said tank, and means controlled by the pressure inthe tank to maint-ain'therein a pressure in excess of atmospheric.

4. In an electrolytic apparatus, a closed tank or vessel having a gasoutlet and containing electrodes and an electrolyte, a reservoircontaining gas under premure connected with the tank to supply gas underpressure thereto, and means under control of the pressure in the tank toregulate the supply of gas thereto to maintain in the tank a pressure inexcess of atmospheric.

5. In an electrolytic apparatus, a closed tank or vessel having a gasoutlet and containing electrodes and an electrolyte, a res ervoircontaining gas under pressure connected to the tank to supply gasthereto, and electro-hydrostatic means under the control of the pressurein the tank to regulate the supply of gas from said reservoir andmaintain in the tank a pressure in excess of at mospheric.

6. In an electrolytic apparatus, a closed tank or vessel having a gasoutlet and containing electrodes and an electrolyte, a. reservoircontaining anon-combustible and a noncombustion-supporting gas underpressure connected with the tank to supply such gas thereto, andautomatic means for maintaining a more or less constant flow of gas fromthe reservoir to the tank.

7. A closed tank or vessel for containing material capable of giving offcombustible gas or vapor, said tank having an outlet; and means fordelivering to the tank a non combustible and non-combustionsupportinggas at a pressure sufficient to cause a flow of such gas through thetank to expel the combustible gas or vapor therefrom through saidoutlet.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

RALPH D. MERSHON.

